<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Crash by tcarroll_12</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23062669">Crash</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/tcarroll_12/pseuds/tcarroll_12'>tcarroll_12</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Broadchurch</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec Hardy Needs A Hug, Gen, Parent Alec Hardy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:34:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23062669</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/tcarroll_12/pseuds/tcarroll_12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>No one notified him of the incident. When he sees the victim, he finds out why.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Hardy &amp; Daisy Hardy, Alec Hardy/Ellie Miller, Alec Hardy/Tess Henchard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>113</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>DI Hardy could see uniform, including some from his own office, gathered round the wreckage as he pulled up. He also spotted DS Miller’s familiar messy pony and, to his surprise, a few above their station as well. What the hell was going on? And how had Miller already arrived?</p>
<p>An uneasy feeling began to bloom in the pit of his mostly-empty stomach as he exited his black SUV and immediately noted expressions of concern on the faces of those who noticed his arrival. Miller quickly stepped forward with her hand out to stop him—</p>
<p>“What the hell's goin' on, Miller?” demanded a very confused Hardy. Her name had hardly left his mouth before she interjected; the strain in her voice only deepened the sense of foreboding. “Sir, please, I really don’t think you ought to be here—”</p>
<p>“Sod that, Miller!” he snapped. “I’m the detective inspector, or have you forgotten?” He tried to step around her, but to his bewilderment, she continued her attempts to block him. Everyone on scene was eerily quiet, watching them like bombs about to go off. “Alec, <i>please—</i>"<br/>
His temper spiked at the informality; a scowl camped on his angular features and he cast it out onto everyone else present. Only a few of the uniform—those unfamiliar with him—were able to meet his angry glare. The rest stared at their shoes or out across the rocky coastline. Those who did meet his gaze looked at him with… </p>
<p>Pity, Hardy realized. Though he kept it from showing, he felt like someone had just sucker-punched him. </p>
<p>“Miller,” he growled. Low and dangerous, a false calm belying the brewing storm beneath. “Who is it?” </p>
<p>
  <i>Not Daisy. Please.</i>
</p>
<p>“Sir—”</p>
<p><i>“Who. Is. It.”</i> He was done playing nice. Even Miller knew when to stop pushing back; with a sigh she turned and led him through the yellow tape and into the crime scene, her posture one of utter defeat. Hardy glared at the uniform they passed. How dare they even try to hide anything from him? He wasn’t a wee baby.</p>
<p>They passed the first car, a white Tacoma, which had spun out and now faced opposite the traffic, taillights blinking somehow cheerfully in unison. Hardy looked with cold, calculating detachment at all the broken glass around them, the mangled front, a crumpled mess of metal and parts twisted far out of recognition. He grimaced. “Must have been one hell of a crash,” he murmured. Miller wilted at the offhand comment, pain flashing across her face, to Hardy’s surprise. </p>
<p>His heart started to race. <i>Who was the fatality?</i></p>
<p>The second car had fared far worse, the front end torn apart and scrunched almost into the backseat. This one was a black coupe of some sort, the extent of the damage rendering the vehicle unrecognizable. <i>Instant death,</i> thought Hardy. At least there would have been no pain. </p>
<p>The rest of the uniform at the white tent parted like the Red Sea, their faces almost the same color as the gently flowing fabric as he approached, but already he had blocked them out. Hardy steeled himself, then stepped toward the white sheet draped over the victim. </p>
<p>
  <i>Please not Daisy</i>
</p>
<p><i>Please—</i><br/>
Gently he lifted the sheet.</p>
<p>Tess Henchard.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Scene</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"'m gonna have to tell Daisy," he murmured. </p>
<p>"Do you want me to come with you?"</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Time stopped. Hardy stared down, uncomprehending, at his ex-wife's face beneath the sheet. Bloodied, bruised, eyes closed, but absolutely recognizable all the same.</p>
<p>Tess.</p>
<p>He ran a knuckle across his lower lip, so many emotions warring for domination he couldn’t keep track of them all and rather didn’t care to. </p>
<p>Mercifully, the analytical side of his brain soon rose up and boxed all the messy, confusing human feelings away. There were only facts now. “Gloves,” he said sharply.</p>
<p>Miller shifted uncomfortably on the balls of her feet. “Sir—”</p>
<p>“Gloves! Now!” Hardy snapped, rising up from the asphalt. A SOCO wordlessly handed him a pair, stepping back again just as quickly as if she’d been burnt by touching him. Ellie shook her head and stepped away as well, trying not to cry in front of everyone. Despite the horrible truth of what she had done to Hardy at Sandbrook, Ellie bore Tess no real ill will. Being a mother, her thoughts automatically floated to Daisy, though she kept Alec in the back of her mind. </p>
<p>Blocking out everything and everyone else, Hardy made rudimentary observations much like Brian had done earlier, gently moving her head one way, then the other, feeling the underside of the skull. Broken neck was the most likely cause of death, but he couldn’t see the rest of her body under the sheet. Something very well could have punctured her torso, causing internal bleeding and organ failure, but the rational part of his mind stopped him from investigating further—this wasn’t his scene, it was Brian’s. Fire and bile burned in his stomach, growing hotter with every passing moment. </p>
<p>Finally the inspector stood, still unable to take his eyes off</p>
<p>
  <i>the body</i>
</p>
<p>Tess. </p>
<p>“What happened?” he asked, finally making eye contact with Brian, who also had been standing awkwardly to the side. Though he was absolutely in charge, he also knew Tess's connection to Hardy and rightly decided to err on the side of safety, and let Hardy examine her. As long as he didn’t do anything to jeopardize the scene, Brian was willing to extend Shitface this one mercy.</p>
<p>“The driver of the Tacoma had crossed over,” he said simply. “He’s already been transported to hospital with a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit. We’re working to determine if excessive speed was involved as well.”</p>
<p>Incredible, Hardy thought with a twinge of bitterness. Intoxicated driver. </p>
<p>Just fantastic.</p>
<p>“Were any handheld cellular devices in use at the time?” </p>
<p>“Erm, not that we can see as of yet,” Brian admitted. </p>
<p>Feeling oddly detached from himself, Hardy nodded and knelt down next to Tess once more. Gently he laid a gloved hand on her shoulder and whispered, “Sorry. For everything.” Then he replaced the sheet and stood up slowly. His gaze met with Brian's, and the head SOCO said quietly, “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>Hardy quirked the corner of his mouth, nodded once, and said, “Keep me updated.” <i> Thank you.</i> “I’m stepping away before I turn this entire scene upside down with a fine-tooth comb.”</p>
<p>Turning on his heel, away from Brian’s perplexed glare, he exited the suddenly-cloying tent. “Miller!” he called over his shoulder. <br/>Ellie sighed after him, then mouthed <i>thank you</i> to Brian and trailed after the inspector. </p>
<p>She caught up to him as he stood about ten yards past his vehicle, still as a statue, with one foot on the gravel curb that was all that stood between the road and the jagged, hungry rocks several hundred feet below. His hands were in his pockets, his gaze out upon the ocean away from the scene; the cool sea breeze ruffled his dark hair, played with his tie. Ellie stayed silent, trying not to imagine Alec suddenly launching himself off the curb and into a fatal free fall. </p>
<p>Finally the inspector spoke. “’m gonna have to tell Daisy,” he said simply. He glanced down at his shoes, then back out over the endless blue, and rubbed a hand over his scruffy face. Ellie saw a flash of panic and grief flit over his face for a moment, but quick as lightning he locked it up again. </p>
<p>“Do you want me to come with you?” she offered quietly. </p>
<p>Hardy looked at her for a long moment, unsure of what to say, unsure of everything suddenly. His nostrils flared as he tried to keep his anguish at bay, but she saw his face contort with sorrow and confusion before he turned away, running a hand through his hair. She almost missed the quick nod of his head, something she almost thought she imagined until she heard his small, broken voice: “Please.” </p>
<p>After another moment, letting him have space, she said, “Are you in a fit state to drive safely?”</p>
<p>Hardy sighed deeply and turned back to look at his partner. “Yeah,” he muttered, shoving his hands back in his pockets. Miller nodded and said, “The station’s on the way. I still need to do a few things here, so we’ll drive separately to CID and then carpool to the school.” </p>
<p>“Right.” Without another word, Hardy left for his vehicle, leaving Ellie to stare after him dispiritedly.</p>
<p>                                           X           X          X</p>
<p>Though she didn’t arrive for almost twenty more minutes, Hardy didn’t get out of his car until he saw Miller pull up next to him. Only then did he sigh, pinch the bridge of his nose, and slide into Miller's station wagon. Ellie tried not to stare at him too much as he got in, knowing he’d find her sadness incredibly annoying for certain, and probably condescending if she knew him at all. </p>
<p>He remained so silent and motionless through the drive that she had to glance at him every once in a while, to make sure he was still alive. Each time, his expression remained dull and lifeless, with only a hint of confusion to speak to his humanity. When he finally did speak, they were almost there, and Ellie was so surprised she almost jerked the wheel off the column. </p>
<p>“What do I even tell her, Miller?”</p>
<p>Ellie sighed. “I don’t know,” she lamented. “Maybe just be as straightforward as possible. Get it over with—but do it with tact,” she added, reminded of his lack of social skills. </p>
<p>Another few moments of silence. Then: “You know they won’t let me touch the case.”</p>
<p>“I’ll keep you fully updated, sir, I promise.” </p>
<p>He looked over at her for the first time since he’d entered the vehicle. Ellie was shocked at the depth of gratitude she saw on his face.</p>
<p>They pulled in to the visitor section of the carpark and Ellie put the wagon into park. </p>
<p>“You have to go get her,” implored Hardy. Miller was about to protest, but he begged, “Please, Miller. I know I’m gonna break down as soon as I see her. I can’t embarrass her like that in front of everyone.”</p>
<p>Miller sighed through her nose. It wasn’t worth arguing about; she would do it. She understood his point of view anyway. She reached for the door handle, then paused and turned back round to face him again. </p>
<p>“Sir… if I could give you just one piece of advice,” she offered meekly. Hardy fixed her with a classic deadpan stare. “What?”</p>
<p>“Give yourself permission to have that breakdown.” Hardy opened his mouth, annoyance washing over him, but she pushed on.  “Much as you try and ignore it, sir, you’re human and you’re going to be affected by this, if only because of Daisy. But please… don’t bottle it up."</p>
<p>Alec swallowed thickly, and got out of the car with Ellie. “I’ll wait here.” He leaned against the driver’s side door and watched her head into the office. </p>
<p>Only then the car park was devoid of people. </p>
<p>Only then did Alec Hardy allow himself to break down.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Daisy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alec tells Daisy what happened. To be concluded tomorrow!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ellie strode into the office with all the cool confidence she could muster, and showed her badge to the first face that turned towards her. “DS Miller, Wessex Police. I’m looking for Daisy Hardy, please. She’ll be excused for the rest of the day.” Though her tone was light, her smile was cold and promised hell if she was not obeyed. </p><p>The receptionist and another staff member glanced at each other, but complied. “She’ll be in class,” said the woman, “it’ll be a few minutes—”</p><p>“Oh, I’m coming with you,” Miller interrupted, swiftly letting herself through the waist-high barrier that separated visitors from staff. She smiled coldly at the other’s surprise; the woman gestured uncomfortably to the man, who led her through the office to the schedule admin. Miller showed her badge again, and after determining what classroom Daisy would be in, the man led her off. </p><p>Miller waited patiently at the door while the man gave the summons inside; as soon as Daisy appeared, looking utterly perplexed and wary, she smiled at the man dismissively and said, “I’ll take it from here, thank you.” </p><p>The man practically ran off. Daisy immediately turned to Ellie. “What’s going on? Why are you here?” She looked around frantically but her dad was nowhere in sight. “Where’s my dad? Did something happen to him? Oh my—is he in hospital again??”</p><p>Miller put her arm around the teen's shoulder and they started back toward the office. “He’s fine, he’s outside waiting for us,” she said quickly, trying to soothe Daisy's panic. “Didn’t want to embarrass you, so he asked me.” </p><p>“What happened, El?” Daisy whispered as they hurried along. “You’re freaking me out!” </p><p>“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but this is something you’re going to have to hear from him,” Ellie lamented. </p><p>Daisy knew when Ellie wouldn't budge, and they reached the office without another word. Miller was just about to take her out to the carpark when she stopped and turned around. “A word of caution to the wise and gossip-happy,” she threatened to all present, “this is official police business. I have a son who also attends this school, and if I catch wind of <i>anyone </i> speculating a <i>damn</i> thing, I will <i>thoroughly</i> investigate every single student, every staff member, every <i>janitor and lunch lady</i> and I will <i>charge</i> anyone participating in hearsay with interference, is that clear??” </p><p>No one said a word. They were all too afraid. <i> Go, El! </i>thought Daisy with a grin. </p><p>Alec had just taken a pill to calm his stuttering, pounding heart when they came outside. He was grateful he was leaning on Miller's car, for the strength abruptly vanished from his legs when he saw them and no doubt he would have fallen on his arse if it wasn’t for the steel frame supporting him. </p><p>Daisy broke away from Miller as soon as she saw him; Hardy stepped forward and at the same time his face collapsed like a house of cards. He threw his arms around his daughter in an iron grip, pressing his lips to the top of her head, trying to calm down and failing miserably. It wasn’t his own relationship with Tess he was grieving—he tried once more after closing the Sandbrook case with Miller and that turned out to be a failure, so he and Tess had parted ways and not on the best of terms—but his heart ached for Daisy. </p><p>“Dad, what the hell’s going on?” Daisy sniffed, pulling away just enough to look up at him. He jerked his head at Miller, who had been giving them space—<i>come here</i>—and stared at the cold, unfeeling school buildings, wishing he could be like them right now. Unbidden, he thought, <i>Cold and unfeeling, that’s Tess now—</i></p><p>Gently Ellie slipped her arms around father and daughter, grateful to be included and relieved when Alec didn’t squirm away. She only avoided his eyes, which he was silently grateful for. There was definitely a limit to how much pity he could stand, after all. </p><p>He sighed. “Daiz… your mum…” He bit his lip, took a breath. Bloody hell, this was much more difficult than even he thought. Reluctantly he stepped back mentally, allowing the analytical detective part of himself to come forward and deal with this. “There was a car accident earlier this morning.” He felt her stiffen like </p><p>
  <i>Tess</i>
</p><p>a board in his grasp and plunged ahead. “An intoxicated driver crossed into her lane and hit her head on. She died instantly.” He tightened his grip on her. “I’m so sorry, darlin'.” </p><p>Silence. </p><p>Ellie sniffed next to him. He glanced over at her and she shook her head, swiped at her eyes. She couldn’t hold them back any longer. <i>Pardon me for being human</i>. But thankfully Alec kept quiet, just turned his attention to his daughter. “Daiz?” </p><p>“I just can’t believe it, that’s all,” she said quietly. Her tone, so wee and lost, gripped Alec’s heart and shattered it. “For sure it was instant?” she asked, voice quivering on the last word. “You’re not just saying that?” </p><p>Hardy looked at Ellie. <i>Was it?</i></p><p>“No, it was definitely instant,” Miller confirmed, deflating. </p><p>“The bloke who did it,” Daisy whimpered, “the bloke who did it, he got off with just a scratch, didn’t he?”</p><p>“Eh, that I definitely don’t know yet,” Hardy admitted. “Doesn't matter, he’s goin' ta<i> wish</i> he’d died anyway.” There was an unspoken but clear threat in his tone. Miller glanced at him warningly, but Hardy met her eyes and quirked his mouth briefly. No, obviously he wouldn’t do anything stupid. With Tess gone, Daisy was now his sole responsibility, and he bloody well couldn’t keep his job if he went around slamming people’s heads into walls, could he?</p><p>Then again, he thought dourly, Ellie had promised him she wouldn’t be able to do anything to Joe in the interview room, and look what had happened in there.</p><p>He held his daughter in silence for a moment longer, then said, “You wanna grab some coffee, and we can go home and talk? Or not—”</p><p>“Yeah,” Daisy said quickly. She let go of Alec, and his stomach chose right then to make a long, angry noise of hungry protest. In spite of the situation, she laughed, the sound embracing Alec’s soul with warm golden rays. “Only if you get something to eat, too.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. End</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Basically, don't do what Dad does?"<br/>"What do I do?" <i>Oops.</i></p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Father and daughter sat together in the back seat, Alec on the passenger side and Daisy in the middle. She’d manoeuvred the seatbelt so she could lean against Alec comfortably; he’d thrown his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, and now she sat pressed against his side with her head on his shoulder, staring listlessly at the seat in front of her. No one spoke a word, even as they walked into the coffee shop together; Ellie, trailing behind the others, was grateful and relieved to see Daisy clinging to Alec’s side just as much as he was clinging to hers. </p>
<p>Shortly after placing their orders, Alec excused himself for the loo, leaving the two girls at the table. As soon as he was out of earshot Daisy, nervously twisting the various rings on her fingers, whispered, “I’m so glad you’re here, Ellie.” She looked up at the sergeant across the table then; Ellie's heart was warmed to see and hear her gratitude, and simultaneously noted the stark similarity to Alec’s expression earlier on the way to the school. Though Daisy inherited her mother's softer features, she was definitely Hardy’s daughter, no doubt about it. Ellie made a mental note of it in case she ever wanted to tell Alec, and smiled at the young Hardy. “Thanks, Daisy. That actually means a lot to me.”</p>
<p>Daisy briefly smiled back before a text alert stole her attention. The smile was replaced by a frown. “Oh no, it’s Chloe,” she murmured. “Asking me where I am. That’s right, we’d be having bio together right now...” She looked at Ellie, suddenly scared. “What do I tell her?” </p>
<p>Gently Ellie touched Daisy’s hand. “Whatever you want to,” she said. “You can just say ‘family emergency,’ and leave it at that.” She hesitated a moment before adding, “But I will say, Daisy, you’re probably going to need all the support you can get. This might be really difficult for you in the days to come in ways you wouldn’t imagine.” Her countenance fell as she recalled her own harrowing experience with Joe and then the trial and everything that came with it. </p>
<p>Daisy briefly smirked, again the image of her father. “Basically, don’t do what Dad does?”</p>
<p>“What do I do?”<i> Oops. </i>Alec had returned. He sat down rather grumpily and quirked an eyebrow at his daughter, who looked back at him and sadly but confidently said, “Shut everyone and everything out when something bad happens?”<br/>Hardy bit the inside of his cheek and looked away, unsure how to respond to that jab, as Ellie looked at him in sadness. His words, spoken in hospital when he’d fallen ill with pneumonia, rang in her ears: <i>No one else needs to know. No one else needs to care.</i></p>
<p>
  <i>I’m dealing with it.<i></i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>The drinks arrived. Ellie took a long draught of her green tea and stared at the inspector, who was still silent, now staring down at a triple-shot espresso on ice as if it were responsible for Tess's untimely death. <i>I won’t let you go through this alone, you knob,</i> she thought determinedly.<i> Just you try and stop me.</i></i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Daisy squeezed her hand then. </i>
  </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Ellie squeezed it back and smiled at her.</i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for all your love &lt;3 kudos comments and bookmarks mean a lot to me!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>